A forum of mostly anime-related discussions and reviews served up by your trusty moderator and anime expert, Fefifofum.

Monday, June 13, 2011

June 2011 Anime Rankings

Probably the last rankings before quite a few of these end and the Summer anime season begins. Thought I would try and find something uniquely good to say about every series this month.

#1 Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

Gets the number one spot for having the most attractive character designs and the best OP of this season. The characters are all likeable. I would like to get more of any of them. Plus, the dialogue is fun!!! FUN!!

#2 Anohana

Let's see. This is the best drama of the season. Plus, it has the best OP/ED combo of the year.

#3 Stein's Gate

Most interesting concept of the season. Plus, Okabe is the best character of the year.

#4 Nichijou TV

Stellar laughs from the best 4-panel style anime adaptation of the season. Yoshino is the most underutilized character of the season.

#5 Gosick

The whole Kujo running to find Victorique is getting old and is criminally overused but this is still the best non-modern setting for a series out there.

#6 Hen Zemi

You really have to give it to the Hen Zemi characters for being so unapologetically perverted. They have really broken down their perversions to a scientific and philosophical level that would impress Sigmund Freud. Best cool with itself series of the year.

#7 Tiger & Bunny

It feels like the pace is slowing down, to its detriment. Still, I like this show for having an older style. It feels like new-retro. Best use of advertizing. Go Nex! Pespi Nex!
#8 A Channel
I can't shake the impression that the creepy teacher is just a less original/interesting/ownage version of Kimura-sensei from Azumanga Daioh. Actually, a lot of themes from this show seem to be borrowed from AD. Well, it did kind of reinvent the genre so I guess it couldn't be helped to a certain extent. I'll give this one a "show that is ripping off the best series" award for this season.
#9 The World God Only Knows II
You've got to give some credit to Katsuragi. For someone that everyone considers to be leading his life in an unfruitful manner, he remains very confident in the path he follows. This gets the award for most focused character.
#10 Tono to Issho
This is basically a single OVA that, because of the way it is formatted, was able to be cut into 3 minute episodes. Still, I'll give it the best short award, which was basically a two-horse race with the next entry.
#11 Honto ni Atta! Reibai-Sensei*
This is short episode formatted series about a teacher who's an expert in the occult. I'm totally in love with the ED, I listen to it multiple times every time I watch an episode. So catchy. Best ED award, even though it's not the standard size.
#12 Hidan no Aria
This has turned out to be a not very good series. Lots of "baka!" gets thrown around. Very standard tsundere theme. Just not very original. I'll give it some props for not going batshit crazy with the whole "superpowers awakened by perverted thoughts" thing the Kinji has. They've been restrained in that regard. It'll have to settle for the "compulsory hot miko" award(pretty much making these up by now).
#13 C
I've been watching this for a fair bit but it better be getting somewhere soon. It feels like the show doesn't even know what it is, so how are we supposed to? This gets the "most nonsensical premise" award.
#14 kaiji 2
It's getting difficult to follow this. I like the premise and the content but the slow pacing is getting unbearable, not unlike it's predecessor. This easily wins the "most narrated character's thoughts" award. There's actually more of it then there is dialogue, which worked for Death Note so maybe they're onto something.
#15 Ao no Exorcist
Series that have as little depth and quality content as this only work if they throw the plot/action at you at full speed. Instead, they choose to develop shallow characters. Way to take a page from the Naruto playbook. Massive failz. You get the "I can't stop staring at the brother's moles" award. Not the most sought-after one.
#16 Deadman Wonderland
Somehow, I'm still watching this lameness despite myself. It could have won the nonsensical premise award from earlier but instead it's getting the dual "participant" and "watched despite itself" awards. Thanks for playing.

Another month is behind us. Many of these are ending later this month so July should have a fair number of reviews. Observations for this ranking:
-The top three are pretty much in a league of their own. They are the ones (along with Gintama) that I watch as soon as they're available. The rest I just watch when I'm in the mood. I've got some non-anime reviews that I'm working on (music...and maybe gaming if I feel like it). Also, I never got around to reviewing Moshidora (which aired completely during a two-week period in May), so I'll put a short assessment of that at some point. That's it for now. Bye-Bee!~